Guys and girls I have a brand new segment coming your way. I was asked to help out a friend out with her healthy eating and exercise. (It helps her stick to the plan and it gives me a brand new segment.)
So this is the lead up to next weeks piece. This is handwritten by my friend and hope this inspires you guys to eat healthier and exercise more often.
On holiday at the moment in Lanzarote. I hadn't been taking care of myself before the holiday but have really let myself go this week, particularly with regards to alcohol. I have never been what people now would consider "fat" but my weight has peaked in the past at about 11st 4lbs; I suspect I am over that now after just 5 days of my holiday. All inclusive = eat loads, drink loads, swim a bit and generally slob-out. I am determined to change things when I get home.
Every day of my life since at least my mid-teens I have thought about my weight, how I look, how fat I thought I was even when I was 5ft 4ins and weighed only 8st 7lbs. In my opinion this has mainly been brought about by the images of skinny, "beautiful" woman being thrown at us day after day in the media, making me and many other people I suspect, think that this is what we all should look like.
At the age of 44 I have come to the conclusion that no normal person looks like these celebrities and we shouldn't beat ourselves up about it day after day! It is part of a celebrity's job to maintain an image of perfection and they probably spend a huge amount of time and effort making sure they look like they do, and many still need airbrushing to compliment all their hard work. But it is just that - an image.
The average person, men and women with families and full time jobs and a home to run, do not have the time, or the means to follow the celebrity lifestyle. I now do not believe that we should aim to look or live the way society seems to think we should; like celebrities.
However, I am not saying that we should not take care of our bodies and we should eat as much as we like, drink as much alcohol as we like and do very little or no physical activity whatsoever. After the last year of pretty much doing this I am not just back to being heavier than I really would like to be but I also feel like shit and I am determined to change this! It's not about being "slim" or "the right weight" but about feeling good and healthy and physically and mentally strong, fit and well.
I hate the word "diet" with a vengeance. To me it conjures up pictures of a tiny, shrivelled up baked potato with a small dollop of tuna mixed with tasteless, "low-fat" mayonnaise and a side helping of "free" salad big enough and tasteless enough to make anyone run to the nearest MacDonald's. When I get home I will show that getting fitter, healthier and stronger is not a hard journey but should be a long one; it's not about throwing yourself into a stringent fitness regime or starving yourself day in and day out but it's about making lots of small changes which you can gradually build on, resulting in a slimmer, healthier and stronger you. You don't have to totally change what you eat, or eat things that take huge amounts of time to cook and prepare. Just eat simple things in smaller portions, increase your level of physical activity slowly but surely and try to stay away from the huge takeaways and processed foods which are probably the majority of people's downfall. Most things in moderation but nothing in excess!
To demonstrate this I have agreed that after my return from Lanzarote I will be weighed and photographed in my current physical shape. I will keep a daily diary of what changes I make in my goal to feel fitter and healthier. I don't expect this to happen overnight but would like have a new me for New Year 2014 - that's approximately 6 months from now. I intend to lose around a stone in weight and also be more toned and fitter. I will also make other changes which will be intended to make myself feel better. I have never been one for having a "beauty regime" but should really spend at least a little time every day pampering myself and helping to keep myself looking in my early 40's rather than early 50's.
Early menopause and resultant depression have helped to make me feel so much worse about myself in recent months. Because I feel bad and depressed I eat more and drink more and look and feel worse. It's a vicious circle that you can't seem to escape from. Eventually you either succeed in ridding yourself of the world and all your "worries" by doing something stupid, or you stand up and fight against it. The time has come for me to put up a fight!
So, how is this going to work? No crash diets, faddy eating regimes or even eating different foods from the rest of the family. Most of what I cook for the family is considered healthy, well balanced and nutritious food. It's when I can't be bothered to cook that I eat particularly unhealthily and recently this has become a far too regular occurrence. When I cook food I always try to cook in healthy ways, grilling or cooking meats in the oven, steaming vegetables and not adding tons of oil and other higher fat or sugary ingredients and drain any fat away that comes out of food as it cooks.
I will weigh myself tomorrow morning as I have already had 2 cups of coffee which will make a difference to my weight. I will eat healthily today though. I am starting off with big bowl of fruit. Now you might say to yourself "She said she wasn't going to eat 'diet food'!" We'll that's right - I'm not. Fruit is healthy, nutritious and can be very tasty. It can also be expensive for the more exotic, tastier fruits but buying fruit that is in season is more cost effective. This morning I am eating a huge bowl of fruit containing two types of melon, strawberries, kiwi, blueberries and pineapple. I got this from the supermarket yesterday from the section of reduced food. Supermarkets reduce food that is going out of date and you can sometimes get a good bargain, but ensure you eat it the day you bought it or at least the next day.
Tip - although fruit is considered to be good for you beware, some fruits can contain high levels of sugar and so contrary to popular belief you can't just munch on as much fruit as you like all day.
Hope you enjoyed.
Tasha
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